Steve Honeycutt with Guillon Inc. said that either having to include affordable housing units in their plan or paying the in-lieu fees could kill the project. They plan to build 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom homes priced around $325,000. Honeycutt and Guillon Inc.’s attorney met with county CEO Carmel Angelo on Tuesday to discuss the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, which was developed to set aside low-cost housing in developments of more than four units. He said they wanted to look into their options because piling fees onto a project that aims to provide family housing does not help anyone, in their view. After the meeting, he said they have made plans to meet with the county again about the issue.

Local architect Alan Nicholson, who is against developing the vineyard, spoke at a county meeting reviewing the ordinance on Monday to ask committee members not to reduce the requirement of affordable housing units in developments in any way, as it would be “shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Ukiah attorney Lisa Hillegas also spoke in favor of the ordinance, telling the county she has seen it work in other communities. She said when Guillon Inc. claims they cannot afford to comply, like many other developers before, the county must stand its ground.

County CEO Carmel Angelo said Guillon Inc. had sent her an email asking to talk about the affordable housing requirement and mentioned a waiver.

Adrienne Thompson with the Department of Planning and Building Services said waiver requests often come with housing development applications, but she did not indicate if the department would entertain the idea.

Nicholson, though, seemed sure a waiver would not happen.

“I don’t think the county’s gonna back down on this thing,” he said in an interview.

Supervisor Carre Brown in the meeting said she hears all the time that the county’s affordable housing fees are too expensive, but she doubts that is true, from what she has seen of other counties of the same size.

Honeycutt said Guillon Inc. has not submitted a formal waiver request to the county.